| Grape variety |
Cannonau |
| Synonyms |
cannonadu, canonau, cannonao, cannonatu, gamay perugino, vernaccia di Serrapetrona, vernaccia nera, garnacha negra, Grenache. |
| Grape colour |
Red grape |
| Vigour |
Fair |
| Ripening |
End of September. |
| Productivity |
Abundant and fairly constant. |
| Areas of cultivation |
It is common in almost all the wine-growing areas of Sardinia, particularly in the province of Nuoro and Sassari, but recently it is also located in the province of Vicenza, with the name of red spots. In the noon of France it is called grenache and is one of the most popular vines. |
| History |
The recent finds of ancient Cannonau grapevines in various archaeological sites in Sardinia have allowed to rewrite part of the history of the origins of domestication of vine in Italy and the Mediterranean. Lastly, at the excavations carried out in 2002 at Borore in the archaeological site of Duos Nuraghes, hundreds of grapevines (seeds in a grape), old, dated carbonized, dating back to 1200 BC, were found Christ, 3,200 years ago. This discovery - which has led the Duos Nuraghes site to the forefront - in addition to demonstrating that nuragic populations cultivated vine and produced wine, made it possible to understand that the Sardinian Cannonau, which until now was thought to have been imported from Spain , Is of a different variety from the Iberian variety and could be vice versa from Sardinia, "and then exported to Spain, following the primary irradiation of agriculture, from the fertile Crescent. Official historical theory until the recent discoveries on Sardinian grapevines reported that the domestication of vines, born in the Caucasus and Mesopotamia area, was gradually transferred to Anatolia and Egypt, from here in the Aegean Islands, Greece and the rest of the world, Europe, finally thanks to the Phoenicians arrived in the Western Mediterranean and Sardinia. Today, with recent archaeological discoveries, it can be safely stated that with the arrival of the Phoenicians, in Sardinia the cultivation and domestication of Vitis vinifera was already known. |
| Ampelographic features |
Leaf: of medium size, renniform or orbicular, generally trilobata, rarely quinquelobata; Petiole breast, open, moderately deep, elliptical upper, laterally closed or half-hearted lateral; Lower side nipples missing or V, halved, shallow. Top glabra, ordinary green, almost shiny; Bottom page glabra; Wavy flap, smooth surface; Sloping lobby; Angles at the top of the straight or slightly obtuse lobe; Main ribbons on the bottom page of greenish-yellowish, glabrous or with rare hairs scattered. Average tooth size in 1, 2 or 3 series, with medium size teeth, slightly marginal edges, based on medium width.
Bunch: Medium-sized, clasped or semi-clamped (for light casting), conical or cylindrical-conical, sometimes winged, mid-thickness, green, semi-woody peduncle; Mid-length or short-medium pedicel, medium-sized and greenish color: average, light, small; Small, slim, greenish-yellowish brush, slightly blurred with pink.
Acino: medium, round or sub-round, regular cross-section; Thin and consistent skin, black-violet color, very pry-like, medium-evident navel; Melted pulp, neutral flavor, slightly colored juice in pink; Separation of the acorn from the regular peduncle. |
| Characteristics of the wine obtained from this grape variety |
The color of the wine obtained from cannonau is ruby red, tending to garnet if subjected to refinement. The scent is fruity, only slightly floral, and over time it can capture spicy and ethereal shades. Tasting exam highlights a good structure and an important alcoholic component, medium tannicity and freshness just mentioned, with long and hot aromatic persistence. |
| Notes |
Needs: Sardinia does not present, as the Mameli wrote, "special requirements of climate and soil, but for the production of liqueur wine it is suitable for the warm climate and the limestone-siliceous soil, quite fresh. Subject to the abortion of flowers ". |